Last time on Explorers of Prehistory...
Bonehead and Bessie arrived at the Gardevoir Guild and were led to the currently in command Sting the Vespiquen. While Sting thought they were too young, Bonehead and Bessie refused to give up on their desire to join the guild. Sting decided that if they want to join, they need to take "The Trial", which the other Pokemon of the guild know is brutal, especially for young children...
What will happen next? Find out now!
And today's special thanks goes to... freak666chaos for his awesome OC!
The walk to the Gardevoir Guild's training arena was a long, terrifying one.
Bessie swallowed nervously for about the tenth time as she and Bonehead slowly followed Sting and Rainbow down the steps and down to the door of the guild. They were on their way to the arena, where they would have the trial, the trial that had terrified Rainbow so much. She was so scared that she had refused to go with them, adding to the apprehension of the two girls as they descended the steps.
They made it to the door again, still lit by the lights of torches, and still guarded by Team Mummy.
"Meh-heh-heh!" Pharoah's sly voice crept into Bessie's ears, a shiver running down her spine as she felt the glowing, ruby eyes of the Cofagrigus upon her. "Back already? On your way out? Meh-heh-heh."
"Umm... Actually..." Bonehead stuttered.
"They're taking the Trial," Sting said, nonchalantly.
"Meh-heh-heh!?" Pharoah said, shocked. "T-them?! Take the Trial?! They're just children!"
"Wah-hah-hah..." agreed Gold, shivering.
"Well, if they want to join the guild, they're gonna have to do it!" Sting replied.
Pharoah shrunk away with Gold and Nugget. "Oh... Oh... Oh my..." Pharoah said, mortified. "Devil thy name is woman... Meh-heh-heh..."
Sting rolled her eyes. "Just open the door, Pharoah."
"Mmmyesss..." Pharoah said, shoving the door open with his shadowy tendril-like arms.
Sting flew out the door, followed by the now very, very, very scared Bessie and Bonehead. All of the members of Team Mummy gave them apologetic looks as the doors shut behind them.
Bessie felt the fear deep inside grow and grow. What did I do to deserve this?!
Wordlessly, she followed Sting to the Arena.
The Arena was a large, stone battlefield, on the left side of the guild's fortress. Unlike the rest of the fort, which was made from tan and brown bricks, the Arena was made of dark grey bricks. It made it look more foreboading than it already was.
Bonehead and Bessie found themselves in front of the third gate of the day, this one a cruel looking portcullis made from cold and jagged looking iron. Sting grabbed a lever and twisted it. The gate slowly crawled upwards as she worked it.
Bessie looked to Bonehead. "S-should we...?" she whispered.
"Should we what?" Bonehead whispered back.
"You know... run?"
"Run? We can't run!"
Bessie sighed. "Bonehead, this has bad news written all over it! You saw how those Mummy guys reacted to the Trial! What if it's really dangerous?"
"But if we run, we'll never join the guild, and then we'll never find out how Tiny Island sank!" Bonehead argued.
Bessie stared for a second. "I... I don't know..."
"We'll be fine!" Bonehead said. "Trust me!"
"Ahem!"
The girls turned to see Sting holding two pieces of paper a bottle of ink with a Pidgey quill sticking out. "Here," she said, handing Bessie a paper and the ink bottle. "Sign this."
Bessie read over the paper: "Do you (insert Pokemon name and species here) affirm that you are taking the Trial (Copyright, Gardevoir Guild, 290 DE) on your own free will and choice? If so, sign name and species here: _. All healing that may be needed after the battle will be paid for by the Gardevoir Guild. Funereal preparations and expenses will also be provided, if necessary. The Gardevoir Guild is not responsible for any deaths/permanent injuries that may result from taking the Trial.
"Signature here: _"
Bessie swallowed. No way! she thought. No way! I am not signing this!
But... Mom...
She signed the paper.
Bonehead looked over her paper and signed it without any second thoughts whatsoever. Sting took both the papers, looked over them, and nodded. "Good..." she said. "Looks like you're all ready!" She flew out of the way and gestured to the open gate. "Enter, and the trial will begin... Good luck..."
Bonehead and Bessie looked at each other. "This... this is crazy," Bessie declared. "This is nuts."
Bonehead nodded. "I'm going in. Are you?"
Bessie sighed, but said, "Yes, I am. We came in together... we might as well leave together... Even if we're leaving the world..."
"Then let's go!" Bonehead declared, trying to sound enthusiastic.
Bessie nodded, and followed her friend into the gate. Sting watched them as they went in, her ruby eyes never leaving them as they entered the dark tunnel. Smiling to herself, she grabbed the lever that controlled the door, and tugged it. The door shut with a metallic clang.
There was no turning back now.
Bessie didn't know what scared her more. The fact that they were in the second, dark tunnel of the day, or the fact that they were likely walking into their deaths, or the fact that Sting had shut the door behind them.
Why had she signed that paper...?
Sting never left the entrance to the Arena, still standing there, watching them with those glowing ruby eyes. Her body was now little more than a blot in the doorway, completely black except for her glowing eyes, making her look like some sort of demon, which added to the girls' discomfort.
Their footsteps echoed down the hall as they made their way down. There was a light on the other end of the tunnel, that grew and grew as they approached. The girls blinked their eyes as the sunlight enveloped them. Wordlessly, they stepped out into the arena.
The ground was covered in sand and dust, and surrounded by round walls, forming a large circle for them to battle in. The wind rippled the sand as they stepped inside the ring. Empty seats sat on the high levels around the gym. They were empty now, but if they weren't, a large crowd of Pokemon could watch them get killed.
On the other side of the arena was another stone gate. Above the gate was a small, covered set of seats, obviously the reserved seats for important individuals.
"Hello?" Bonehead shouted. "Is anyone there?"
The stone doors behind them slammed shut with a grinding roar, surprising both of the girls. "Oh, boy..." Bessie whispered. "Oh, boy..."
A flash of yellow caught Bonehead's eyes. She and Bessie watched in silence as Sting flew over the arena and to the covered box that stood over the second gate, flying into it.
"Ms. Sting!" Bessie shouted. "What's going on?!"
Sting wordlessly pulled up a gong from inside the box, before pulling out a large rod. With a loud "Hyah!" she slammed the rod against the gong, resulting in a large ringing sound.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
Bessie's large ears pricked as she heard the footsteps approach them. The footsteps grew louder, and louder, and the ground began to shake, nearly knocking Bonehead and Bessie off of the ground.
The stone doors in front of them slowly swung open with a grinding roar, a massive shape shrouded by the darkness. A massive arm, gripping a massive stone pillar, pushed through the entrance, followed by another. A massive Pokemon slowly stomped outside of the arena. It was huge - absolutely huge. While not very tall, it was very muscular, arms easily twice the width of Bessie's head. In each massive hand was a broken stone pillar. It was tan in color, with violet stripes. It had a round head, and a large nose, with two white eyes. The creature gave a taunting laugh as he saw the terrified looking Bessie and Bonehead. He stomped forward, each step shaking the ground.
"Hahahaha!" the monster laughed. "You're the new recruits?! I've seen bigger Magikarp!" He stomped towards them, using his massive pillars as canes as he approached.
Bessie swallowed. "W-what's going on...?"
"What do you think!?" the Pokemon laughed. "The names Kelgo, kid, Klego the Conkeldurr - and I'm the Trial!"
Bonehead looked behind them. The door was still shut. Kelgo laughed, noticing her discomfort. "Sorry, kids!" he taunted. "You signed the papers! Time to own up!"
Bonehead reached behind her back for her femur, only to remember that she had lost it during their unnumbered days at sea. That left her with Headbutt and that was about it. Bessie had Bounce, which would be an effective move against a Fighting-type... but one this big?
Evidently, Kelgo had had enough waiting. He raised his massive stone pillars like swords, and leaped into the air. Bessie and Bonehead shrieked as they leaped to the side, a huge cloud of sand rising into the air as Kelgo landed on the ground with an explosion of sound. Sand fell to the earth as Kelgo charged at the terrified girls, swinging his stone clubs.
"W-we gotta fight him!" Bonehead shouted.
"H-how?" Bessie demanded. "He's so huge!"
"So was Fearow!" Bonehead reminded her. Bessie had almost forgotten Fearow - their days on Tiny Island felt very distant and far away now. "We can do this!"
Bessie nodded. She was getting into this guild. "Right!" she said.
"Rock Smash!" Kelgo roared as he swung his clubs at the girls.
"Bounce!" Bessie countered. Swallowing her fear, she leaped into the air as Bonehead dodged to the side. The stone pillar slammed into the sand, an explosion of dust and grit bursting in its wake. Bessie landed on the stone pillar, surprising Kelgo, before launching into the air again with another bounce. With a loud battle cry that she couldn't believe she had made, she planted both of her feet right into Kelgo's face as she came down. She bounced off of the Fighting-type, leaving an imprint of her feet on his forehead.
"Head butt!" Bonehead shouted, charging head-first into Kelgo's shin. The giant topped down, catching himself with his pillars just in time. With a roar, he pushed himself off the ground and glared down at the girls.
"Let's do it again!" Bessie shouted, charging. "Bounce!" she shouted, leaping into the air again.
"Head butt!" Bonehead said in agreement, as she rushed at Kelgo again.
Kelgo gritted his massive teeth. "Rock Smash!" he roared, swinging his pillar at Bessie. While the Buneary was smaller and much more agile, Kelgo had battled Pokemon like her before, and he was prepared. Years of training had increased his ability to hit hard, but also hit fast. Very, very fast.
Bessie gave a strangled gasp as the stone pillar connected with her body, sending her to the ground and right into Bonehead. The girls collided with a bone-crunching crack, before plopping to the ground.
The girls moaned and groaned as they slowly pushed themselves off of the ground. They were both harshly beaten - Bonehead's helmet was cracked, and Bessie's body was one big bruise.
Kelgo grinned down at the girls. "Looks like it's all over," he grunted, raising his canes. "Better start running, kiddies!" he roared, before charging.
"C-can't give up..." Bessie said, stumbling forward. "B-Bounce!" she shouted, leaping into the air.
Sadly, she quickly plopped down to the ground, her injuries too severe to continue. "B-Bonehead..." the Buneary moaned.
"Bessie..." Bonehead's eyes were filled with tears.
"G-go..." Bessie said. "R-run..."
"No! I won't leave you!"
Bessie shook her head as Kelgo's stomping drew nearer to them. "You can't find out why Tiny Island sank if you're dead... Find out... What happened... For me... For mom..."
"B-Bessie!"
Kelgo smashed his pillars into the ground. "Earthquake!" he roared.
A massive wave of sand and dirt rose up from the ground of the arena, and then slammed down towards the two girls. Bessie and Bonehead shared one last, frightened look before the wave hit.
Everything went black.
Author's Note:
Another chapter done and gone. Hope you liked it! What will become of Bessie and Bonehead? Are they okay? Find out next time!
By the way, a new PMD game is coming out on the 3DS! Go online and look up Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Magnagate and the Infinite Labyrinth! It looks awesome!
Epic title, right?
That's all for today! Seeya next time!
Read, review and fave if you like!